thedrifter
05-27-09, 07:47 AM
War veteran among the lucky on board the Honor Flight
By Suzi Nelson
Published: Sunday, May 24, 2009 3:12 AM CDT
ELMWOOD – Lorens Ropers could be considered a lucky man.
As an Army wireman stationed in the Solomon Islands during World War II, he escaped injury by ducking behind a banyan tree.
His story was told in a book put together after the war about his unit, the 145th Infantry.
He also recalled the story as he visited the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. at the end of April with the final Heartland Honor Flights from Nebraska.
Ropers was 300 yards away from the hole where he had been seeking shelter when the alert sounded and a bomb hit 300 yards away nearly simultaneously. He took shelter behind a banyan tree and another bomb hit, splattering the tree with debris. He moved around to survey the damage, then dove for cover as another bomb hit, this time splintering the other side of the tree.
When the bombing was over, he checked himself over, making sure he hadn’t been hit. Luckily, he was unharmed. The tree, however, was not so lucky. He walked around the battered tree several times, noting the damage around the entire trunk. He muttered to himself, “Who’d believe a story like that?”
Ropers faced situations like that as he worked to bring wire from the back of the action to the front lines for his heavy weapons unit during fighting in the Pacific Theater. He was awarded a Bronze Star after undergoing Japanese fire in the Phillippines. He also recalled seeing “quite a few dead Marines” as his unit landed on Guadalcanal.
Ropers was drafted in the Army in July 1942 at the age of 24 after growing up on a farm southeast of Elmwood with a family of 11 children. He went to College Hill school until the eighth grade. He worked on the farm after school.
“I didn’t like school too well,” he said with a grin.
His parents spoke only German on the farm, as did Ropers until he entered school.
“I hardly could speak English when I went to school,” he said.
Ropers followed his older brother, Herman, into the military. Herman had been drafted just a few months before Ropers at the age of 36 and was killed in Africa a year later.
“My folks wrote me about it,” he said matter-of-factly. “You get over that.”
Ropers was close to his siblings, living with one or more of them for most of his adult life. After he returned from the war in 1945, he lived with his parents and one sister and three brothers on the farm for several years. After his parents died, the siblings continued to live there until 1983, when Ropers and his brother Willie, who had polio as a child and was disabled as a result, lived together until Willie’s death in 1995.
Ropers now lives in an apartment in Elmwood, and at age 90 gets around in a snazzy red Ford pickup. He remains very active, dancing every Tuesday in Eagle and every other Friday in Lincoln with his “lady friend” from Lincoln, he said.
The active 90-year-old enjoyed the Honor Flight, getting the chance to visit with fellow veterans and see Washington, D.C. for the first time in his life. It was also his first plane ride and perhaps his first trip since traveling to the Pacific during the war.
“I was always on the water when they took us overseas to the islands,” he said.
He enjoyed the sites in Washington, and, as his ornery side took over, slightly enjoyed watching a Marine drop his gun during a military drill.
“The Marines lined up and the big shot dropped his gun,” he said.
He also recalled that one of the best parts of the trip was being served a Miller Lite beer on the flight.
“That was my night!” he said.
Ropers’ trip took place on April 23 on one of the two final Heartland Honor Flights. These flights are funded by private donations and have taken nearly 1,500 Nebraska veterans to Washington, D.C. The typical itinerary includes a dinner the night before in Omaha, an early morning flight to Washington, a day full of sightseeing and a return trip after midnight.
The trip gives veterans like Ropers the chance to be honored for their service and to visit the memorials that illustrate the nation’s gratitude.
It was a trip of a lifetime for Ropers.
“I enjoyed it,” he said.
Ellie
By Suzi Nelson
Published: Sunday, May 24, 2009 3:12 AM CDT
ELMWOOD – Lorens Ropers could be considered a lucky man.
As an Army wireman stationed in the Solomon Islands during World War II, he escaped injury by ducking behind a banyan tree.
His story was told in a book put together after the war about his unit, the 145th Infantry.
He also recalled the story as he visited the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. at the end of April with the final Heartland Honor Flights from Nebraska.
Ropers was 300 yards away from the hole where he had been seeking shelter when the alert sounded and a bomb hit 300 yards away nearly simultaneously. He took shelter behind a banyan tree and another bomb hit, splattering the tree with debris. He moved around to survey the damage, then dove for cover as another bomb hit, this time splintering the other side of the tree.
When the bombing was over, he checked himself over, making sure he hadn’t been hit. Luckily, he was unharmed. The tree, however, was not so lucky. He walked around the battered tree several times, noting the damage around the entire trunk. He muttered to himself, “Who’d believe a story like that?”
Ropers faced situations like that as he worked to bring wire from the back of the action to the front lines for his heavy weapons unit during fighting in the Pacific Theater. He was awarded a Bronze Star after undergoing Japanese fire in the Phillippines. He also recalled seeing “quite a few dead Marines” as his unit landed on Guadalcanal.
Ropers was drafted in the Army in July 1942 at the age of 24 after growing up on a farm southeast of Elmwood with a family of 11 children. He went to College Hill school until the eighth grade. He worked on the farm after school.
“I didn’t like school too well,” he said with a grin.
His parents spoke only German on the farm, as did Ropers until he entered school.
“I hardly could speak English when I went to school,” he said.
Ropers followed his older brother, Herman, into the military. Herman had been drafted just a few months before Ropers at the age of 36 and was killed in Africa a year later.
“My folks wrote me about it,” he said matter-of-factly. “You get over that.”
Ropers was close to his siblings, living with one or more of them for most of his adult life. After he returned from the war in 1945, he lived with his parents and one sister and three brothers on the farm for several years. After his parents died, the siblings continued to live there until 1983, when Ropers and his brother Willie, who had polio as a child and was disabled as a result, lived together until Willie’s death in 1995.
Ropers now lives in an apartment in Elmwood, and at age 90 gets around in a snazzy red Ford pickup. He remains very active, dancing every Tuesday in Eagle and every other Friday in Lincoln with his “lady friend” from Lincoln, he said.
The active 90-year-old enjoyed the Honor Flight, getting the chance to visit with fellow veterans and see Washington, D.C. for the first time in his life. It was also his first plane ride and perhaps his first trip since traveling to the Pacific during the war.
“I was always on the water when they took us overseas to the islands,” he said.
He enjoyed the sites in Washington, and, as his ornery side took over, slightly enjoyed watching a Marine drop his gun during a military drill.
“The Marines lined up and the big shot dropped his gun,” he said.
He also recalled that one of the best parts of the trip was being served a Miller Lite beer on the flight.
“That was my night!” he said.
Ropers’ trip took place on April 23 on one of the two final Heartland Honor Flights. These flights are funded by private donations and have taken nearly 1,500 Nebraska veterans to Washington, D.C. The typical itinerary includes a dinner the night before in Omaha, an early morning flight to Washington, a day full of sightseeing and a return trip after midnight.
The trip gives veterans like Ropers the chance to be honored for their service and to visit the memorials that illustrate the nation’s gratitude.
It was a trip of a lifetime for Ropers.
“I enjoyed it,” he said.
Ellie